bemis



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. W. BEMIS.

DRUM. No. 570,693. Patented Nov. 3, 1896.

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G. W. BBMIS.

DRUM. I No. 570,693. Patented Nov. 3, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEieE.

GEORGE \V. BEMIS, OF IVORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

DRUM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,693, dated November3, 1896.

' Application filed March 15, 1893. Serial No. 466,028. (No model.)

T (0% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE IV. BEMIs, a citizen of the United States,residing at \Voreester, in the county of \Vorcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Drums, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The aim of this invention is to improve the arrangement of parts eitherin a single headed or a double-headed drum; and to this end theinvention consists of the devices described and claimed in thisspecification, and illustrated in the accompanying two sheets ofdrawings, in which Sheet 1 illustrates a single-headed drum with myimprovements applied thereto, and Sheet 2 illustrates a double headeddrum with my improvements applied thereto.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a single-headed drumwith my improve ments applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of thesame. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional viewon the line 4: 4 of Fig. 1, illustrating one of the tighteners for thehead. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1,illustrating the snare-tightener. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of adouble-headed drum with my improvements applied thereto. Fig. '7 is asectional elevation of the drum shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a sectionalelevation, on an enlarged scale, of the tightener used" for the heads;and Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation, also on an enlarged scale,illustrating the snare-tightener used with a double-headed drum.

I will first describe my IDIPIOVGIHGlltS as applied to a single-headeddrum as shown in Sheet 1 of the drawings.

Referring to the first sheet of drawings and in detail, 10 representsthe usual circular drum-body, upon which is loosely fitted the uppercollar 11 and tightly fitted the lower collar 12. The upper collar 11 isrecessed or out out to have an internal annular groove, as 13, andfitting in this annular groove 13 is the ring 14:, which is slightlyslabbed off, as at 140, as shown, on the side where the same comesagainst the upper collar 11.

15 represents the head of the drum, which may be made in the usual.manner. This head is turned around the upper edge of the drum-body 10,and then is wound around the ring 1i, as shown, the final edge of thehead fitting into the recess 1&0, as shown. By this means the head willbe tightly held between the upper collar 11 and the ring l-i, and therewill be no projecting end to the head.

A number of double-pronged hooks 16 are fitted on the upper edge of thering 11, and these hooks extend down, as shown, to nearly the lower edgeof the upper collar 11, whereby when the hooks are put under tension thelower parts of the same will tend to draw the lower edges of the collar11 in toward the ring 1t, and thus will prevent the lower edge of theupper collar 11 from springing out of place. Each of the double hooks 16has a hole drilled through the same, as shown, and fitting in theseholes are the bolts 17.

Arranged on the lower collar 12 are a number of hooks 18, which areextended, as shown, so as to form a nut, and these hooks 18 may be heldin place by suitable screws 19.. The upper part of these hooks aretapped out, as at 180, as shown, and fitting into these tapped extendedportions of the hooks are the bolts 17, before referred to. By thismeans I provide a simple and eificient tightening device for the head,and it will be seen that as the bolts 17 are adjusted in eitherdirection, the ends of the same will not project below the drum, as isthe case with the ordinary construction, whereby the bottom of the drumis always left smooth and round. I arrange a set of snares below thishead, so as to bear directly on the same, and the preferred way forarranging these snares is as follows: On the lower collar 12 andextending up on the body portion 10 is arranged a plate 20, and bearingon this plate is a piece of spring metal 22, which may he held in placeby screws 21, passing through the same, through the plate 22, and intothe collar and drumbody, as shown. This stringtightener has tappedtherein a suitable screw 23, the end of which bears on the plate 20, asshown, and arranged on the end of this spring-tightener is a clamp 21,which is secured to the tightener by screws 25,and the ends of thesnares 26 are insertcdbetween this spring-tightener 22 and the clamp 21,and are tightly held i n. place thereon by .ICO

means of the screws 25. From this clamp the snares pass in through ahole 27 in the side of the drum, up over a guide 28, which is fitted inthe inside of the drum, as shown, across under the head to a suitableclamp 29, which is held in place by means of the screws 30. By thismeans it will be seen that the snares are arranged directly under thebeating-head and that the snares can be nicely adjusted by means of thescrew 23; also .it will be seen that the tightener 22 normally tends tomove toward the drum-body, whereby the screw 23 will be pressed againstthe plate 20, and when the tightener is moved so as to release thesnares, the end of the spring-tightener is moved in toward the drum,thereby forcing the snares in; also it will be seen that thespring-tightener, tending at all times normally to approach thedrum-body and being held therefrom by the screw, will never be loose andrattle as the drum is used.

By arranging the snares directly under the beating head the drum willgive a very snappy and clear-cut vibration.

Referring n ow to the second sheet of drawings,1 will describe mydouble-headed drum, it being understood that this doubleheaded drum canbe made of any length desired.

represents the drum-body, 11 the upper collar, and 30 the lower collar.These two collars 11.1 and 30 are made similarly to the collar 11 of thesingle-headed drum, and both are loose on the dri'im-body. Both thesecollars 11 and 30 are recessed, as at 13, and fitting in these recesses13 are the rings l-l, which. are slabbed out as in the previous de vice,and 15 represents the upper head, which is wound around the upper ring1%, and 31. represents the lower head, which is wound around the lowerring 14, whereby the heads are nicely secured in place and can be nicelytightened, as before described in connection with the single -hea-deddrum. The upper head 15 is made out of heavy material, and the lowerhead 31 is made out of light material, for a purpose hereinafterdescribed.

Fitting on the collars 11 and are the hooks 16, similar to the hooks 16of the previous device, and passing through these hooks are the bolts17.

Formed or secured to the drum-bod y 10 is a rib or collar 33, andsecured to .this rib or collar are the double nuts for the bolts 17,these double nuts each having two extended portions 320, and the nutsmay be held to the drum-body by means of screws 19, as shown. By thismeans the drum-heads can be nicely held in the collars 11 and 30 and canbe tightened and adjusted as desired, and the hooks 16, bearing for aconsiderable dis tance upon the collars, will prevent the same fromspringing out.

A suitable plate 34 is arranged on the side of the drum, as shown, andis fitted over the rib 33, and may be held in place by means of screws21. Secured to this plate 34, as by means of the screws 21, is thedouble tightener 35, which extends both above and below the rib 33, andtapped into both. ends of this tightener 35 are the screws 23:3, whichbear on the plate 3%, as shown. This tightener carries at the endsthereof clamps 21h, which are secured to the ends of the same by screws25. l prelierably arrange two sets of snares, as the upper snares 36 andthe lower snares $37, and these snares pass in from the tightenerthrough suitable holes 38 over guides iSto suitable clamps 29, which areheld in place by means of screws 30, as in the sin gle-drum beforedescribed. By this means the snares can be nicely tightened and adjustedrelatively to their heads.

It will be seen that the snares are arranged inside of the drum, andsometimes it is desired to muffle the drum or to use the same with.- outthe snares acting on the head. To ac complish this, I journal a shaft 40in the d rumbody 10, and this shaft 1-0 is mounted in snit able splitbushings 400, so as to turn tightly in said bushings, whereby the samecannot rattle as the drum is used. This shaft 10 has a suitable hole 41in the center of the same, and passing through this hole is a band orstring i2, which. is tied around each set of snares, as shown at 4.3,and this shalt ll) may have a suitable handle, as i5, whereby the samecan be operated. Now when it is desired to use the drum without thesnares act ing the snare-tighteners areloosened and the shaft 40 isturned, whereby the snares will be pulled away from their heads.

It is evident, of course, that one half of this muffler device could beapplied to the single headed drum before described, in which the snaresare arranged directly on the under side of the beating-head. This doubledrum shown is a very important improvem ent in the art, as bymakin g onehead course and onehead light, and by mounting the snares 011 the insideof such heads, I have two beating-heads for the drum, whereby thedrummer can use one head for outside work and the other head for insidework and get two different tones. This makes a single drum capable of agreat variety of uses and adds much to the efficiency of the instrument.

The details herein shown and described may be applied to different kindsof drums, and the same maybe varied by a skilled mechanic withoutdeparting from the scope ot' my invention as expressed in the claims.

Having thus fully described 1n yinvention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Illette'rs Patent, is-

1. A drum consisting of a drum-bodyha ving two heads arranged thereon,and a set of snares arranged on the inside of each head, whereby eitherhead of the drum may beused as a beating-head, as desired, substantiallyas described.

1. 1., drum consisting of a drum-body havi ng a thick and a thin head onopposite ends thereof, and a set of snares arranged. on the inside ofeach of said heads, either head being adapted to be used as abeating-head, substantially as described.

3. A drum consisting of the drum-bod y 10, having a collar 11 looselyfitted thereon, said collar being recessed as at 13, aring 1a fittinginto this recess, and being slabbed off as at 140, and the drum-head 15,the edge of which is wound around the ring 14:, and the end tucked intothe slabbed portion llO of the ring, substantially as described.

4:. In a drum, the combination of the drumbody, the drum-head, a set ofsnares, and a snare-tightener, consisting of a piece of spring metal, towhich the ends of the snares are secured, of a screw tapped into thispiece of spring metal, adapted to adjust the same, the piece of springmetal normally tending to spring toward the body of the drum, wherebythe adjusting-screw will be pressed tightly against the drum-body,substantially as described.

5. The combination in a drum having two sets of snares, of the tightenerconsisting of the piece of spring metal secured to the drum, and to theends of which, the ends of the two sets of snares are secured, the twoscrews 23 tapped in the ends of said tightener 35, and bearing on thedrum-body or a suitable plate secured thereto, substantially asdescribed.

6. The combination in a drum of the drum body and head, aset of snaresbearing on the inside of the head, and means for moving and holding saidsnares away from the dru1nhea d, substantially as described.

7. The combination in a drum of the drumbody having two heads arrangedthereon, a set of snares arranged on the inside of each head, and meansfor positively holding said snares away from theheads,whereby the drumcan be muffled, substantially as described.

8. The combination in a drum of the drumbody, the head, the set ofsnares arranged on the inside of the head, the shaft mounted in thedrum-body, and having a cord attached thereto, which cord passes aroundthe snares, whereby, by turning said shaft, the snares can be pulledaway from the head, substantially as described.

9. The combination in a drum of the drumbody having two heads arrangedon the ends thereof, a set of snares arranged on the inside of each ofsaid heads, the shaft mounted in the drum-body, and the cord connectedto this shaft 40, and passing around each set of snares, whereby, byturning the shaft 40, the snares can be pulled away from their heads,and the drum muffled, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

GEORGE \V. BEMIS. itnesses LoUIs W. SOUTHGATE, E. M. l-IEALY.

